2. Empowering Partnerships

Primary focus on intended receptors. Intended receptors are the people on the field who will receive the Goer-Guests’ service or mission activity. Intended receptors can also be aspects of God’s creation (animals, natural resources, etc.) and aspects of human creation (civic or corporate structures, oppressive systems, etc.)

Plans which benefit all participants

Mutual trust and accountability

3. Mutual Design

Mutual design means that short-term mission should collaboratively plan each specific outreach for the benefit of all participants. This is expressed by:

On-field methods and activities aligned to long-term strategies of the partnership

Goer-guests’ ability to implement their part of the plan. Goer-guests are those who go to the field to serve (i.e. all of the individuals or team members who are being sent, including team leaders).

Host Receivers’ ability to implement their part of the plan. Host Receivers are on-field persons who receive short-term missionaries (i.e. everyone at the on-field location: full-time missionaries, other expatriates, national pastors and local leaders, local nationals and any local organizations which they represent such as churches, civic organizations, NGOs, etc.)

4. Comprehensive Administration

An excellent short-term mission should also exhibit integrity through reliable set-up and thorough administration for all participants, and is expressed by:

Truthfulness in promotion, finances, and reporting results

Appropriate risk management

Quality program delivery and support logistics

5. Qualified Leadership

Short-term mission always includes screening, training and developing capable leadership for all participants. This is expressed by:

Character: Spiritually mature servant leadership

Skills: Prepared, competent, organized and accountable leadership

Values: Empowering and equipping leadership

6. Appropriate Training

Short-term mission should prepare and equip all participants for the mutually designed outreach. This is expressed by:

Biblical, appropriate, and timely training

On-going training and equipping (pre-field, on-field, post-field)

Qualified trainers

7. Thorough Follow-up

Lastly, an excellent short-term mission assures debriefing and appropriate follow-up for all participants. This is expressed by:

Comprehensive debriefing (pre-field, on-field, post-field)

On-field reentry preparation

Post-field follow-up and evaluation

Learn more about the Standards of Excellence by visiting their website.